(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to testing apparatus and, particularly, to an apparatus and method for testing vehicle components including the vehicle electrical system.
(2) Prior Art
A function of electrical testing equipment is to determine the existence and location of electrical system defects so that they can be corrected during manufacture and substantially reduce repair expenses. Among the known means of testing a motor vehicle manufacture is a relative elaborate system which provides an interface between moving vehicles and off line equipment including a computer, a card reader and a printer. Typically, such a system requires permanent modification of existing facility and is relatively expensive.
Another prior art attempt at monitoring an electrical system of a car is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,378 issued to Mildner. The patent teaches the use of a battery adaptor which adds resistance to the vehicle electrical system. The battery cable is disconnected and the battery current is routed through the tester measurement circuitry. It would be desirable to eliminate the need for a special battery adapter. Further, it would also be desirable to reduce the hookup time required by such a special battery adapter.
Although there are known means for testing various vehicle electrical system components there is still a need for a simple testing method which would reduce the amount of operator time required in comparison to any known prior art system. These are some of the problems this invention overcomes.